Elastic-tired wheel.



PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

E. KHUP. ELASTIC TIRED WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 111111.15, 1904.

WIT E5595 n Z n f V uv m w I W No. 794,230. iatented July 11, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL KEUP, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RICHARD G. CHISI-IOLM, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ELASTIC-TIRED WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,230, dated July 11, 1905.

Application filed March 15, 1904. Serial No. 198,365.

T whom it y CWT/601"! set eccentrically to the central part and the Be it known that I, EMIL KEUP, a citizen of springs are compressed under the weight of the United States, residing at San Francisco, the load. in the county of San Francisco and State of The parts of the wheel are referred to in 5 California, have invented new and useful Imthis description as the movable tire A; the

provements in Elastic-Tire Wheels, of which tread B, secured on its outer face; the inner 55 the following is a specification. rim D, to which the spokes C are joined; the This invention has for its object an imcoiled springs E; the side plates F G, one of proved construction of elastic wheel for auwhich is integral with the tire, and the other tomobiles and other vehicles that are designed is secured in place in such manner as to he to be driven at high speed. detachable to give access to the spring-holdto The invention relates more especially to a ing space within the rim, and the stops H. wheel of that class or description in which The tire A and the side plates F Cr inclose the rim is separately movable axially to a a continuous channel with straight and parallimited extent upon the central part or body lel sides and in width corresponding to the and having springs interposed between the fixed rim 1) of the body or central part of the tire and the central part to give the required wheel, and in this channel the rim D is so elastic action when the wheel is running in fitted that the tire has movement axially or in contact with the ground; and the invention the direction of the revolving motion and is 2 consists in a novel construction of elastic rim, also free to move in an angular direction or in the manner of confining coiled springs in radially under the weight of the load and the place between the inner and the outer rim of alternate compression and expansion of the the wheel, in the construction of the movable coiled springs as the wheels move in contact outer rim, and in the manner of controlling with the ground.

2 5 the movement axially of the central part of The coiled springs are arranged at intervals the wheel within the rim. apart around the circumference of the wheel The following description explainsat length on radial lines and usually with a spring in the nature of the improvements and the manline with every spoke. ner in which I proceed to construct, produce, The inner rim D is a flat continuous strip 3 and carry out the same, reference being had of metal on the curved outer face of which are therein to the accompanying drawings, forrncross-ribs 71, standing perpendicularly outing part thereof. ward in pairs all around the circumference Figure l is an elevation of a vehicle-wheel and joined by side pieces or webs If on both constructed according to my invention, a porsides. The space or recess inclosed between 3 5 tion of the side plate of the rim being broken every two ribs 6 and the webs I) that join away to expose the interior construction. them form a cell to contain the spring E. 8 5 Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through Helical springs of uniform diameter are used, the rim, taken through the line a; m, Fig. 3, and these are fitted loosely between the ribs on an enlarged scale, showing the parts in to have limited play, with suflicient movement 4 their normal position when the load on the sidewise to allow for the transverse :liexure of axle is not sufliciently heavy to compress the the spring which takes place whenever the 9 springs nearest the point of contact of the tire central part of the wheel runs ahead of the with the ground. Fig. 3is a side view, on the outer rim. The end of that portion of the same enlarged scale, of a segment of the rim spring lying within the sides of the cell is 45 with the side plate removed and the inner loosely set, as before mentioned, and is not member of the rim in section. Fig. 4 is a attached or secured in any manner to the transverse section similar to Fig. 2, but taken central body of the wheel. Its opposite end through the line y y, Fig. 3, illustrating the is held in place upon the back of the tire or position of the parts when the outer rim is outer rim A by means of a standing ring or spring is confined, but is not fastened.

circular flange It, in which the first coil of the T ie ring h is of such height that the spring cannot slip out when the opposite end, which is confined between the ribs, is carried ahead by the movement of the inner rim D within the sides F G of the outer rim. 4 The sockets 71. are secured to the rim A by a dovetail fastening, as shown in Fig. 8, where the base 71 of the socket-piece its between the dovetailed strips it on the back of the rim A. By this means the sockets are fixed in place without screws, rivets, or other like fastenings, that tend to weaken the rim, to the strength and stiffness of which they also contribute to such an extent that the movable rim will resist the lateral strains that are thrown on it when running on rough or uneven ground or striking obstructions and will retain its circular shape under a heavy load.

One of the side plates of the outer rim is made integral with the body; but the other plate Gr is a separate part secured in place by screws p with countersunk heads, located under a protecting bead 'or ledge S on the side of the plate.

The rim D should (it closely into the channel or space between the side platesF G, and a packing It should be introduced between the faces to exclude dust and water. This packing is set in a groove in the edge of the inner rim, as shown in the cross-section Fig. 2.

It will be noticed that the ribs 6 that form the cross-walls of a celLdiverge from a straight line in opposite directions above the webs I), as from the point 7/ out to the end of the crosswall, as seen in Fig. 3. The purpose of increasing the width of the cell in this manner above or beyond the web 0 is to give room for the spring to bend as well as undergo compression without being cramped or restricted in its movements, while it is always confined in place in its cell.

The outer rim slides on the rim carried by the central part of the wheel, the same as in other wheels of this class; but in the present construction the extent of this movement axially is limited by a number of cross-pins H, fixed in the side plates F G and extending across the space that separates one cell from the next in such position thateach pin H forms a stop against which the cross-walls b will strike, and thus prevent further axial movement of the outer rim. These stop-pins are placed at regular intervals around the circumference and usually between every cell and the next one in front and behind. The stop-pins H also serve to draw up and hold the side plates parallel, for which purpose the ends of the pin are turned off and are screw-threaded for nuts. The threaded ends being inserted through holes in the side plates,'the plates are drawn against the shoulders on the pin by screwing up the nuts. The pins also strengthen the outer rim by tying the side plates together at short intervals all around the circumference.

A rubber tread is secured upon the face of the metal tire when desired by providing dovetailed recesses 11; on the edges around the circumference, as illustrated in Fig. 2, where a solid-rubber tread R isshown applied to the face of the outer rim; but by omitting the dovetail on the rim a metal tread is provided.

VVhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an elastic-tire wheel a central part comprising a hub, spokes and a rim having cross-ribs on the face and longitudinal webs uniting the ribs, said ribs being arranged in pairs to form spring-containing cells at intervals apart around the circumference; in combination with a movable outer rim consisting of a tire, side plates on the edges thereof inclosing a channel with continuous walls adapted .to receive the cell-carrying rim of the central part, sockets on the bottom of the channel, helical springs in the cells having their ends confined in said sockets and stops on the outer rim adapted to limit the movement axially of the rim.

2. In an elastic-ti re wheel, an inner rim hav ing cross-ribs on the outer face arranged in pairs circumferentially of the wheel, longitudinal webs uniting said cross-ribs. a movable outer rim comprising a tire, side plates thereon forming a channel with parallel sides inclosing the inner rim, sockets in the channel, helical springs interposed between the inner and the outer rim and cross-pins fixed in the side plates and extending across the space between each pair of ribs.

3. In an elastic-tire wheel an inner rim having spring-containing cells on the outer face formed integrally with the rim and having diverging cross-walls, in combination with an outer rim comprising a tire, side plates on the edges of the tire extending at right angles toward the axis, one of said plates being detachable, helical springs in the cells between the outer and the inner rim, and cross-pins uniting the side plates together and adapted by contact with the cross-walls to limit the movement axially of the outer rim upon the inner rim.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name to this specification in the'presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMIL KEUP.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. Knox, E. E. OSBORN. 

